Folding table



N V- 1969 SASUKE TAKAHASHI 3,476,061

FOLDING TABLE Filed Dec. 28, 19s? SASUKE TAKAHASHI,

INVESTOR.

United States Patent 3,476,061 FOLDING TABLE Sasuke Takahashi, 34/11Yasunaka-cho, 6-chome, Yao, Osaka-fu, Japan Filed Dec. 28, 1967, Ser.No. 694,255

Int. Cl. A47b 3/087 1 US. Cl. 108-112 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREA folding table which characterized by providing a base plate underneaththe contacting edges of two substantially identical, level table topboards, fixing the former to the latter with hinges, providing firsthinging points at the lower end of a vertical guide rod which hangs fromthe center of the base plate, fixing laterally spaced hinged legs to theback of the top boards with other hinges, providing additional hingingpoints in the middle of oppositely disposed horizontal supporting frameswhich are fixed to and interconnect the lower ends of opposite pairs oflegs, setting reinforcing rods between the first hinging points and theadditional hinging points in parallel with the top boards, mounting asliding sleeve on to the vertical guide rod, setting bias rods betweenhinging points of the sliding sleeve and said additional hinging pointsin the middle of the horizontal supporting frames, providing a fixedsleeve at the upper end of the vertical guide rod such a way that aV-shaped protruding part can engage with a corresponding V-shaped notchof the sliding sleeve and simultaneously a locking claw of the slidingsleeve can engage with a hooking part of a swinging pivotal hook whichis hinged on to a pivot point on the fixed sleeve.

The present invention pertains to a folding table and is characterizedby providing a base or supporting plate underneath the contacting edgesof two identical top boards, fixing the former to the latter withhinges, providing, first hinging points at the lower end of a verticalguide rod which hangs from the center of the base plate, fixinglaterally spaced hinged legs to the back of the top boards with otherhinges, providing hinging points in the middle of oppositely disposedhorizontal supporting frames which are fixed to and interconnect thelower ends of opposite pairs of the legs, setting reinforcing rodsbetween the first hinging points and the other additional hinging pointsin parallel with the top boards, mounting a sliding sleeve on to thevertical guide rod, setting bias rods between hinging points of thesliding sleeve and the said additional hinging points in the middle ofthe horizontal supporting frame, providing a fixed sleeve at the upperend of the vertical guide rod in such a way that a V-shaped protrudingpart can engage with a corresponding V-shaped notch of the slidingsleeve and simultaneously a claw of the sliding sleeve can engage with ahooking part of a pivotal hook which is hinged on to a pivot point onthe fixed sleeve.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a compact fol-dingtable of simple construction is easy to operate and which can easily befolded and extended with the advantage and that it can greatly savefloor space when folded and further may serve as a partitioning screenwhen in the folded condition.

The invention will now be described in connection with the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the fully extended folding tablemanufactured in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the folding table during an intermediate stageof being folded;

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FIG. 3 is an end view of the folding table;

FIG. 4 is a magnified front view based upon a fragmentary portion ofFIG. 1 to show the central upper port of the table in detail and alsoshowing a vertical section of the top boards by the table; and

FIG. 5 is a detailed side view of FIG. 4.

The present invention relates to a folding table which is characterizedby providing a central base plate 3 underneath the contacting edges oftwo identical table top boards 1, 2, fixing the former to the latterwith hinges 4, 4, providing first hinging points 6, 6 at the lower endof a vertical guide rod 5 which hangs from the center of the base plate3, fixing laterally spaced hinged support legs 8, 8 to the back of thetop boards 1, 2 with other hinges 7, 7, providing additional hingingpoints 10, 10 in the middle of oppositely disposed horizontal supportingframes 9, 9 which are fixed to and interconnect the lower ends ofopposite pairs of legs, setting reinforcing rods 11, 11 between thefirst hinging points 6, 6 and said additional hinging points 10, 10 inparallel with the top boards 1, 2, mounting a sliding sleeve 12, on tothe vertical guide rod 5, setting bias rods 14, 14 between hingingpoints 13, 13 of said sliding sleeve 12 and the aforesaid additionalhinging points 10, 10 in the middle of the horizontal supporting frames9, 9, providing a fixed sleeve 16 at and around the upper end of thevertical guide rod 5 beneath said base plate 3, in such a way that aV-shaped protruding part 17 can engage with a corresponding V- shapednotch 15 of the sliding sleeve 12 and simultaneously a locking claw 18of the sliding sleeve 12 can engage with a preferably spring-biasedhooking part 21 of a hook 20 which is hinged on to a pivot member orpoint 19 of the fixed sleeve 16.

In the attached drawings, the designation 22 shows a hinging member orpoint provided beneath one horizontal supporting frame 9, on to which ahook 24 with a lever 23 raised by a spring in hinged; the designation 25shows a claw provided in a complemental manner on or beneath the otherhorizontal supporting frame 9, adaptable to engage with the swinginghook 24; are rollers 26, 26 provided at the outer ends of the horizontalsupporting frames 9, 9.

The structure and operation of the folding table of the presentinvention is further explained in the following referring to theattached drawing.

When using the table, the two top boards 1, 2 are stretched out to forma single level surface as shown in FIG. 1 and the reinforcing rods 11,11 are stretched out horizontally under the lower end of the verticalguide rod 5. At the same time, the sliding sleeve 12 is pushed upwardalong the vertical guide rod 5 by the bias rods 14, 14 so that theV-shaped notch 15 of the sliding sleeve 12 can engage with the V-shapedprotruding part 17 of the fixed sleeve 16 whereby the recessed hookingpoint 21 of the pivotal hook 20 which is hinged on to the hinging point19 of the fixed sleeve 16 can engage with the claw or hook retainer 18of the sliding sleeve 12. Thus, the table support legs 8, 8 are kept ata fixed distance by the horizontally stretched reinforcing rods 11, 11.As shown, the rods 11, 11 are nestable within the bias rods 14, 14, whenin the collapsed or folded condition, both being preferably of channelform stock material.

'In this case, a right triangle is formed by the bias rods 14, 14 withthe reinforcing rods 11, 11 as the base and with the center of the backof the top boards 1, 2 acting substantially as a vertex. It is largerthan any other triangle which may internally touch or nest between thelegs 8, 8. According, the extended table is given a large load resistingcapacity and by the triangular bracing is also maintained steady therebypreventing any vertical or horizontal vibration. Thus, this table isquite suitable to be used for dining, conference, playing table tennisand other general purposes.

In order to put the table away after use, a similar lever portion 23 ofthe swinging hook 20 is raised so that the hooking point 21 disengagesfrom the claw 18 of the sliding sleeve 12. When the contacting edges ofthe two top boards 1, 2 are pushed upward, the sliding sleeve 12 comesdown along the vertical guide rod 15, the latter of which is pushedupward by the inner ends of the reinforcing rods 11, 11 hinged at thelower end of said guide rod 5. Consequently, the two top boards 1, 2 arefolded vertically in parallel with each other with the hinges 4, 4 ofthe base plate 3 as a fulcrum similar to closing an umbrella.

As shown with dotted lines in FIG. 2, the legs 8, 8 close to each otherby folding the top boards 1, 2 and are maintained steadily by theengagement between the hook 24 at the lower end of one horizontalsupporting frame 9 and the claw 25 at the lower end of the otherhorizontal supporting frame 9.

Thus, the folding table manufactured in accordance with the presentinvention has advantages that it can easily be folded and readily andstably extended, with the attendant advantage that it can greatly savefloor space when folded and further may serve as a partitioning screenwhen it is folded.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A folding table comprising in combination:

(a) two table top sections (1, 2) arranged to swing adjacent medialcontacting edges from a horizontal operative condition into asubstantially vertical collapsed or folded condition with said sectionsdisposed in substantially parallel spaced condition;

(b) a base support plate (3) disposed centrally beneath the contactingedges of said table top sections and having hinge means (4, 4) attachingsaid table top sections at opposite sides of said plate (3);

(c) a vertical center support and guide rod (5) depending from beneaththe center of said base plate (3) and having hinge means (6, 6) at thelower opposite sides substantially beneath said table top hinge means(4, 4);

(d) each table top section having a pair of laterally spaced supportlegs (8, 8) spaced from said center rod (5) and having hinge means (7,7) connecting said legs to said top sections, respectively;

(e) said pairs of laterally spaced support legs (8, 8) being connectedby a transverse horizontal support frame (9) adjacent their lower endsand having hinge means (1) attached thereto intermediate said legs;

(f) a two part sleeve (12, 16) mountable around the central vertical rod(5), including a fixed sleeve portion (16) attached beneath said baseplate (3), and a slidable sleeve portion (12) therebelow havinghinge-means (13, 13) on opposite sides disposed in general verticalalignment with said other hinge means (6, 6) on the lower end of saidguide rod (5);

(g) said sleeve parts having complementally formed interengageable meansthereon which are engaged when the table top sections are in theoperative horizontally extended condition, to thereby fixedly relate thesections together to preclude both relative rotative and relative axialshifting movements thereof;

(h) a bias support rod (14) interconnecting the hinge means (13) on thesliding sleeve portion (12) and the hinge means (10) on the transversesupport means (9), at opposite sides of the central support rod (5); and

(i) a reenforcing support rod (11) interconnecting each of the hingemeans (10) on the said transverse support means (9, 9) and the hingemeans (6, 6) on the lower opposite sides of said vertical support rod(5), said reenforcing support rods (11, 11) being disposed horizontally,and the bias support rods (14, 14) being disposed angularly relative tosaid reenforcing rods (11), the table top sections 1, 2), and formingsubstantially right triangular braces at opposite sides of and relativeto said vertical support rod (5), when said table is in the horizontaloperative condition.

2. A folding table as defined in claim 1 wherein the complementallyformed interengageable means of the sleeve parts as recited in paragraph(g) thereof include a prominent protruding portion and a correspondingcomplementally shaped notched portion to be engaged by said projections,and formed on the respective sleeve portions, to provide for the saidnon-relative rotative movement when in engaged condition.

3. A folding table as defined in claim 2 wherein the protruding portionis of V-shape and the notched portion is of complementay V-shape toprovide an interlock engagement therebetween.

4. A folding table as defined in claim 2 further including pivotal hookand hook-retainer means dis osed on said respective fixed and slidablesleeve portion, for releasable interlocking engagement to provide forsaid non-axial relative movement of said sleeve portions when in engagedcondition when the table is in the horizontal operative condition.

5. A folding table as defined in claim 1 wherein said sets of tablesupport legs (8, 8) are provided with floorengaging rollers (26) tofacilitate converting the table to the collapsed condition, andinterengageable lock means on said opposed sets of table legs (8) topositively maintain the table in the vertical collapsed condition.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,764,460 9/1956 Nelson 1081132,781,525 2/1957 Bauer 108113 XR 2,991,139 7/1961 Fihe 108l13 3,080,8343/1963 Risdall l08112 3,212,463 10/1965 Anderson et al. 108113 3,245,3634/1966 Amthor et al. 108-113 BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner G. O. FINCH,Assistant Examiner

